As expected, baseball is going to give banning home plate collisions a whirl.

The new rule, 7.13, was adopted by Major League Baseball and its players association Monday afternoon on a one-year experimental basis with one exception: If the catcher has the ball and is blocking the runner’s direct path to home plate.

At the very least, it’s a start.

“Anything that leans toward player safety is a positive,” said Padres catcher Nick Hundley, who’s also a player rep for the union. “ … If somebody is not blocking the plate, you shouldn’t get hit. If you put yourself in harm’s way, yeah sure. If you’re blocking the plate, then if you get hit, you get hit. It’s about the times when people get hurt when they are not blocking the plate and they get hit. I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”

The official adoption of the rule likely means the Padres will get to work on coaching their catchers and base-runners on adjustments as soon as Tuesday.

Here’s the word-for-word description of the rule:

“A runner attempting to score may not deviate from his direct pathway to the plate in order to initiate contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate). If, in the judgment of the Umpire, a runner attempting to score initiates contact with the catcher (or other player covering home plate) in such a manner, the Umpire shall declare the runner out (even if the player covering home plate loses possession of the ball).

Unless the catcher is in possession of the ball, the catcher cannot block the pathway of the runner as he is attempting to score. If, in the judgment of the Umpire, the catcher, without possession of the ball, blocks the pathway of the runner, the Umpire shall call or signal the runner safe.”